Electric sign.



T. E. MURRAY. ELECTRIC SIGN. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 24, 1908.

935,803, PatentedOct. 5,1909.

7 way? 8140c v! You i M 9, $51 M THOMAS E. MURRAY, 01' NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELEe'rmc SIGN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnoams E. MURRAY,

, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Signs, of, which the following is a specificatlon.

The invdntion relates to electric signs and consists in a plate having'on its surface a plurality'of reflectors following the outline of aletter or character, and inclined to re-' flect light upon'the portion of said surface included within said outline: also in the construction of said plate with openings follow-' ing said outline, through which openings the light rays passto said reflectors: also in the construction whereby said reflectors are formed upon the outer edges of said openings by striking up the metal of the plate:

and also in the various combinations set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 isa front elevation of my electric sign. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 00, av, of Fig. 1.

.Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line y, y, of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the lower part of the letter I in Fig. 1. Fi 5 is a plan view-of a portion of the letter of Fig. 1, showing the body part of the letter raised above the general surface of the plate. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 2, z, of Fig. 5.

' Similar letters of reference indicate like.

parts. V ,v

The sign may. comprise a singleplate A, preferably of sheet metal, bearing a character, letter or word, or a plurality of such I a plurality of openings E following the out-.-

plates .as A, B, C, D, each bearing aletter or character, and-arranged to form a word or composite design. In each plate is formed line .of, the letter or character. Said openings may be quadrangular in form, and pro-.

'duced bycuttingthe 'metal gn three sides,

leaving it attachedon its fourth side or outer edge, The attached piece F is then bent H outwardly and in inclined position, so that,

--of the plate through the opening E, is, re-

its inner inclined surface forms a reflector, whereby light, coming from the rear side flected upon the portion G of the plate surface which is included within the outline-of the letter or character. In this, way the said letter or character becomes defined not only by the light seen directly through the;

Specification of Letters i'atent.

Application filed Qctober 24, 1908. Serial No. 459,844.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

openings E, "but also bythe reflected light cast upon the body portion of the outlined letter. This body portion may be painted white or polished so as again to reflect the rays to the eye ofthe observer, the remainder of the plate outside the reflectors F being preferably blackened. The inner surfaces of the reflectors F may also be whitened or polished so as to increase their reflecting capacity.

While it is preferable and-cheaper to pro duce the reflectors F by striking upthe material of the plate as described, it is obvious that they can be made separately and secured in suitable proximity to the openings in any desired way.

Where several plates are used to' make up the sign, they may be connected by bending over and interlocking the meeting edges, as shown at H, Fig. 3. The plate is, or the 'plates are then inserted in a boxJ having on its front edge a, frame K, against which said plates bear. In rear of the plates may be inserted a plate L of glass or other transparent medium, which is held in place by the inserted flanged frame M. Within the box and held in any desired way, as by attachment to the backboard N, I place a suitable number of glow lamps O, (dotted lines, Fig. 1) the light rays from which pass through the openmgs E and are reflected as before described, upon the body portions of the letters or characters. The letters or characters may be made to appear of any desired color by using plates L of colored glass, or by making the bulbs of the glow lamps O of colored glass. The glass plates L serve the further function of preventing rain or moisture from entering the box J through the openings E.

Instead of leaving the portion of the plate surface, which is outlined by the openings E, flat, Imay make it in relief and of any desired cross sectional-shape. Thus in Figs. 5 and 6, I show the electric body in pyramidal form having sides P inclined preferably'at the same angle as-the reflectors F.

I claim':

1. A plate having a plurality of openings following the outline of a letter or character, and ,a plurality of inclined reflectors disposed /on one side of said plate, and con said outline.

Cit

, openings upon the portion of the plate surface included within said outlinef 3. An electric sign having illuminating lamps contained therein and one side or' face thereof provided with a slot forming approximately the outline of a letter, and a reflecting flange extending upwardly from the outer edge of the slot, said flange being inclined whereby to reflect the light onto the metal forming the letter contained within theslotted outline, substantially as de- 4. An electric sign having illuminating lamps contained therein and one side or face thereof provided with a slot forming appioximately the outline of a letter, the metal or said letter being held in place by cross pieces formed integral with said plate and letter, and a reflectin flange extending upwardly at anincline romthe outer edge of thesl'ot, whereby to' reflect the light onto the metal forming the letter and contained within the slotted outline, substantially as described. w In'testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

" THOMAS E. MURRAY.

Witnesses:

GERTRUDE T. PORTER, MAY T. MCG'ARRY. 

